|
Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Christianity > Orthodox Churches
Though the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt is among the oldest
Christian communities in the world, it remained relatively unknown
outside of Egypt for most of its existence. In the wake of the Arab
Spring, however, this community was caught up in regional violence,
and its predicament became a cause for concern around the world.
Copts in Context examines the situation of the Copts as a minority
faith in a volatile region and as a community confronting modernity
while steeped in tradition. Nelly van Doorn-Harder opens Coptic
identity and tradition to a broad range of perspectives:
historical, political, sociological, anthropological, and
ethnomusicological. Starting with contemporary issues such as
recent conflicts in Egypt, the volume works back to topics-among
them the Coptic language, the ideals and tradition of monasticism,
and church historiography-that while rooted in the ancient past,
nevertheless remain vital in Coptic memory and understanding of
culture and tradition. Contributors examine developments in the
Coptic diaspora, in religious education and the role of children,
and in Coptic media, as well as considering the varied nature of
Coptic participation in Egyptian society and politics over
millennia. With many Copts leaving the homeland, preservation of
Coptic history, memory, and culture has become a vital concern to
the Coptic Church. These essays by both Coptic and non-Coptic
scholars offer insights into present-day issues confronting the
community and their connections to relevant themes from the past,
demonstrating reexamination of that past helps strengthen
modern-day Coptic life and culture.
This book gathers a wide range of theological perspectives from
Orthodox European countries, Russia and the United States in order
to demonstrate how divergent the positions are within Orthodox
Christianity. Orthodoxy is often considered to be out-of-sync with
contemporary society, set apart in a world of its own where the
church intertwines with the state, in order to claim power over the
populace and ignore the individual voices of modern societies. As a
collective, these essays present a different understanding of the
relationship of Orthodoxy to secular politics; comprehensive,
up-to-date and highly relevant to politically understanding today's
world. The contributors present their views and arguments by
drawing lessons from the past, and by elaborating visions for how
Orthodox Christianity can find its place in the contemporary
liberal democratic order, while also drawing on the experience of
the Western Churches and denominations. Touching upon aspects such
as anarchism, economy and political theology, these contributions
examine how Orthodox Christianity reacts to liberal democracy, and
explore the ways that this branch of religion can be rendered more
compatible with political modernity.
|
|